Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, the two Indian stars, may find themselves in opposing teams in tonight's clash between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow SuperGiants.
But, in a sense, they are in the same boat.
Both are in search of at least a modicum of form. Sharma has eked out just 21 runs in three innings, and Pant's numbers are still worse --- 17 runs in 3 innings.
Both of them are running out of time as their respective teams are also unable to fit into any kind of rhythm. Both have won just one of their 3 matches so far. They are at 6 and 7 in the table. This mid-table scrap tonight at spin-friendly Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow is one for finding some consistency. Both the teams have batting worries. In the conditions tonight, batters may face challenges, but the conditions could still allow for a high-scoring game.
This clash promises to be a tactical battle, with both teams eager to climb the points table. Mumbai Indians, after a shaky start with back-to-back losses, MI bounced back with a convincing win against Kolkata Knight Riders. Hardik Pandya's leadership and Suryakumar Yadav's return to form have been key positives for the team.
Lucknow SuperGiants defeat to Punjab Kings has put them under pressure to perform, especially on their home ground. LSG has historically dominated MI, with a 5-1 record since their inception in 2022. LSG have Micholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh in good nick. The former, especially, in great rhythm.
MI's Ashawani Kumar impressed with his bowling in his debut against KKR. There is also another newcomer Vignesh Puthur, who may get a game tonight. LSG's bowling may be bolstered with the return of Akashdeep Singh from an injury.
Key Players to Watch:
MI: Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Trent Boult.
LSG: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mitchell Marsh.
Probable Teams:
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur.
Lucknow SuperGiants: Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, Digvesh Singh Rathi.